The disclosure relates to a hinge of a domestic appliance for pivotably fastening a lid to a body of the domestic appliance. The hinge has a first hinge element and a second hinge element, which are connected to one another via a pivot axis and can be pivoted in relation to one another between an open position and a closed position. The disclosure furthermore relates to a domestic appliance, for example, a top-loading washing machine, having at least one such hinge.
In a top loading washing machine, the washing drum is loaded and unloaded from above. For this purpose, the washing machine is provided with a lid, which is folded down into a horizontal position in operation and which can be pivoted up into a vertical or approximately vertical position for loading. In addition to the more convenient loading ability, such washing machines can be constructed as particularly narrow and space-saving due to the alignment of the washing drum. Other domestic appliances such as freezer cabinets and some types of cooking devices can also be designed as devices which can be loaded and unloaded from above and have a pivotable lid.
For example, a hinge of the type mentioned at the outset can be used for the pivotable mounting of such a lid on a body of the domestic appliance, which hinge has two hinge elements pivotable in relation to one another about a pivot axis, which are connected to the body on one side and to the lid on the other side. Two such hinges are typically used for mounting a lid.
A hinge of this type is known, for example, from document DE 1 243 561. In this hinge, a lever having an attached roller is pivotably mounted in the hinge housing. The roller is pressed by a compression spring against a cam-like attachment, which is formed on the cover-side hinge part. The cam is shaped so that the opening of the lid is assisted by spring force, on the one hand, and the lid is also held in the closed position by the application of spring force, on the other hand.
Document DE 103 62 318 B4 describes a hinge having comparable functionality for mounting a door of a domestic appliance. In this hinge, a function lever is arranged on a hinge part, which interacts with a slotted guide arranged on the second hinge part. The interaction of function lever and slotted guide limits the pivot angle range of the hinge and latches the hinge in the respective end positions.
In addition to the mentioned end positions of the hinge, in which the lid of the domestic appliance is completely closed or completely open, in particular in the case of top-loading washing machines, an intermediate position is desirable, in which the lid is slightly open. In this intermediate position, the washing machine drum is ventilated, so that even in longer times of nonuse, odor formation within the drum is prevented. Compared to a completely open lid for this purpose, however, a more appealing visual impression is achieved and the risk that objects will unintentionally fall into the washing machine drum is reduced. The latter is relevant in particular for washing machines which are placed in a living space, for example, a bathroom.
A hinge according to the disclosure of the type mentioned at the outset is distinguished in that a control lever is rotatably mounted on the first hinge element and a control curve is formed on the second hinge element, in which a control pin formed on the control lever is guided. The control curve is formed in this case so that during a closing movement of the hinge from the open position, an intermediate position is assumed and held until the closing movement is continued into the closed position, while in contrast during an opening movement out of the closed position, the hinge pivots into the open position.
According to the disclosure, the intermediate position of the hinge, providing for ventilation of the washing machine drum upon use of the hinge in a washing machine, is achieved by the interaction of the control lever and a corresponding control curve. The control curve is formed in this case so that the intermediate position is only assumed upon movement of the hinge in one direction, upon movement in the closing direction here, while in contrast upon movement of the lid in the other direction, the opening movement in the present case, the hinge is pivoted past the intermediate position from the closed position into the open position.
The mentioned combination of rotatably mounted control lever and control curve can be integrated in a space-saving manner into the hinge. The achieved movement sequence is advantageously incorporated into the operation, for example, of a top-loading washing machine. After ending the washing program, from the closed position of the lid, it can be moved directly into the open position, to be able to remove laundry from the laundry drum. The lid is then pivoted down again and remains in the intermediate position to ventilate the washing machine drum, which intermediate position may be associated with a joint angle which differs only slightly from that in the closed position. For further loading of the washing machine, a press on the lid is sufficient, which moves the lid into the closed position, whereby the intermediate position is left. The lid can thereafter be pivoted immediately back into the open position, to be able to load the machine again.
In one embodiment of the hinge, the first and the second hinge elements are formed as U-shaped, each having a base and legs arranged laterally on the base, wherein the legs of the second hinge element encompass the legs of the first hinge element in the region of a pivot axis. The first and the second hinge elements are preferably produced from sheet metal in a stamping and bending process. The hinge can thus be manufactured simply and cost-effectively. A more compact construction is also possible, in particular if the control lever is mounted on one of the legs of the first hinge element and the control curve is formed in one of the legs of the second hinge element. The control curve can be embossed into the legs in a deep embossing process, for example.
To implement the described movement sequence, in a further advantageous embodiment of the hinge, the control curve at least sectionally forms a circumferential path for the control pin. The circumferential path of the control curve particularly preferably extends in a heart shape. A path extending in a heart shape has a notch between the two heart halves, which forms a catch groove, in which the control pin engages in the intermediate position. A further section of the control curve, in which the control pin enters the open position of the hinge, can adjoin the circumferential section of the control curve.
The heart-shaped control curve can be formed in the mentioned deep embossing process. Alternatively, an outer contour of the control curve can be formed by a stamped-out recess in the leg, for example, and an inner contour of the circumferential path of the control curve can be provided by an insert, which is inserted into the recess. In this case, the insert has the catch groove.
In a further embodiment of the hinge, the control lever is formed as spring-like and/or spring-mounted and/or the insert is fixed in a spring-like manner on the leg. The control pin can thus disengage from the catch groove and the control curve during an opening movement of the hinge, which is initially not provided in the movement sequence. Damage to the hinge is thus prevented if, for example, the lid of the domestic appliance is forcefully opened from the latched intermediate position.
In a further embodiment, the hinge has a damper, which at least sectionally damps a movement of the two hinge elements in relation to one another. A material-protecting approach to one or both end positions of the hinge can be achieved by the damper. The damper is preferably a rotation damper having a gearwheel, which is fastened on one hinge element, wherein a gearwheel segment, in which the gearwheel engages, is formed on the other hinge element. In this way, the damper can be integrated in a space-saving manner into the hinge. The hinge segment is preferably dimensioned and arranged so that the gearwheel first engages in the gearwheel segment upon approach to at least one end position of the hinge.
In a further embodiment, the hinge has a spring, in particular a leaf spring, which is arranged between the two hinge elements. At least one of the end positions is assumed automatically due to the spring. As a leaf spring, the spring arms of which extend in parallel to the respective base of the hinge elements, the spring can be integrated into the hinge, without space problems occurring with the catch mechanism or a possibly provided damper.
A domestic appliance according to the invention, in particular a top-loading washing machine, is distinguished by a body on which a lid is pivotably fastened using at least one above-mentioned hinge.